Logitech recently announced that they felt as if they had fallen behind in the universal remote control space, and that they would be doubling their efforts and releasing some new models. We had no idea that new models were this close to release, but apparently at least one of them is, according to sources.

Sources are telling us that Logitech is prepping a new model, which is going to be known as the Logitech Harmony 800 QWERTY. As you might have guessed, the new model 800 will be the first Harmony model that will offer a slide out keyboard that hides under the main remote body.

The slide-out keyboard style first seemed to come to the “slider” smart phones, and then later to the enhanced TiVo remote, which offered a slide-out keyboard; but now we are seeing it on some HDTV models that offer built-in web browsing. It is a logical progression, but a first for a universal remote.

We know very little about it so far, other than the model name and some pictures that have apparently been circulating on the Internet. Said to have a color touch screen that can act as a touchpad to provide mouse control, the model 800 could find a significant calling as the remote of choice for Home Theater PCs running Media Center, for example. It is also rumored to offer WiFi connectivity, which would open a number of options for Logitech and for the usefulness of the remote.

It is not known when the new model should be expected, but based on the FCC filings and what we have been able to find out from our sources, it should not be much longer.